(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor unit having a cooling channel capable of cooling a high temperature unit by using a coolant (or cooling water) in a high output electric motor for driving a vehicle, thus enhancing cooling efficiency and increasing operational stability.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a motor structure of an electric vehicle includes a shaft for supporting a rotor, the rotor being rotatably supported by the shaft, a stator fixedly positioned to face the rotor, and a motor housing in which the stator is press-fit, the motor housing positioned to face the rotor for protecting and supporting the stator.
A high output motor is required to drive an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. Thus, when power is applied to drive the high output motor, the rotor positioned to face the stator is rotated at a high speed, where the rotor is supported by the shaft within the stator by magnetism generated by the stator.
In general, a related art motor cooling structure is configured to employ a forced air cooling scheme (i.e., using air), or a scheme of performing cooling by circulating a coolant such as water.
However, in the case in which the cooling scheme of the related art motor is a water cooling scheme, a cooling channel is required to circulate a coolant such as water. Thus, if a heat dissipation area of a water cooling structure (which may include a jacket) formed within a motor is small, the coolant does not flow smoothly, thus degrading cooling performance.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.